Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India

Honoring 72 years of democracy. India Republic Day

You might never guess that this ornate, skylit building, with an exterior covered in intricate carvings and artwork, was once a military base. Perched high on a hill above the city of Jodhpur, the colossal Mehrangarh Fort—aka the Citadel of the Sun—was built nearly five centuries before its home country became a democratic republic.

India's Republic Day commemorates January 26, 1950, when the constitution of India was adopted and the newly independent nation became a democratic republic. At the time of independence, the Republic of India had a population of 370 million, making the new nation the world's most populous democracy. It remains so today, with a population nearing 1.4 billion.